Tom Cruise poses for pictures.

Tom Cruise has reportedly rented an entire Norwegian cruise liner, to prevent any more filming delays to the next Mission: Impossible film.

The as yet untitled Mission: Impossible 7 is being filmed in several European locations but has faced production stoppages due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Norway Today has reported that Cruise has paid around £500,000 to rent the MS Fridtjof Nansen, operated by the Norwegian cruise line Hurtigruten, until the end of September.

The vessel will act as a hotel for the film’s production crew, according to local reports.

Mission: Impossible 7 is currently on course to film this month in the Romsdal district of the Nordic country.

Reports indicate the ship will shelter around 200 local staff, with another 200 international workers also on board. Cruise’s cruise ship will dock in Hellesylt in the east side of the country – roughly 217 miles from Bergen.

Any additional filming delays could push back the film’s planned release next year.

The Mission: Impossible franchise, which began with Brian De Palma’s Mission: Impossible in 1996, has made $3.6bn (£2.95bn) at the box office, across six releases.

The most recent entry, 2018’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout, was described by many as the high point of the franchise, with The Independent‘s Geoffrey Macnab describing it as “rip-roaring” and “invigorating” in a four-star review.

The Independent